Harmonic damper for pianos



July 14,1925. 1,546,205

G. CLOETE N S HARMONIC DAMPER FOR PIANOS Filed March 12, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 14, 1925.

G. CLOETENS HARMONIC DAMPER FOR PIANOS Filed March 1 2 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 REA Patented July 14, 1925.

UNITED STATES GEORGES CLOETENS, 0F BRUSSELS, BELGIUM.

; HARMONIC DAMPER non PIANOS.

Application filed March 12, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonens CLOETENS, a citizen of the Kingdom of Belgium, and resident of Brussels, Belgium, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harmonic Dampers for Pianos; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exac description of the invention, such as will enable. others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked therein, 'which form a part of this specification.

This invention has to do with improvements in devices forming the subject of Patent 1,392,244. The said patent relates to musical. instruments having means for modifying tones, and comprises pressing members, which are mechanically pressed against the strings at given points along their lengths.

The present invention affords an improved device having pressing members, supported in a novel manner.

It has been proposed to apply pressing members on the strings by means of a system of levers with several pivot points. This arrangement does not always give the necessary rigidity to cause the pressing members to be perfectly immovable, and not vibrate with the strings.

To cure this defect, according to this invention, the pressing members are connected to the cross bars which give rigidity to the string frame. They are connected by pivoted arms, the arms having the pressing members at one end, and being connected to the cross bars by means of hinges.

Further, the invention relates to various means for regulating the position of the pressing members, in all directions relative to the strings. V

Since the pressing members are mounted on supports rigidly connected to the frame of the instrument by pivoted arms, and that no adjustment of their position is pos sible, it is necessary, in order to apply the members to the desired points of the strings, to displace their relation to their supports, in all directions.

The invention is illustrated in the annexed drawings, wherein;

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view;

Fig. 2 is a section on AB of Flg. 1,

Serial No. 624,620.v

looking to the left, and to an enlarged scale; s

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of one form of pressing member connection;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a second form of pressing member connection;

Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views of modifications of Figs. 3 and 4; respectively;

Fig. 7 is a view of a modified form of pressing member fixing and actuating device;

Fig. 8 is a section on line E-F of Fig. 7, looking to the right;

Fig. 9 is an elevation of a string adjusting device;

Fig. 10 is a section on line CD of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view of a modified form of the device of Fig. 10.

A somewhat more extended description of the figures of drawing, follows, to aid in an understanding of the invention.

Figures 1 and 2 relate to a method of construction of the frame carrying the rigid members which come into contact with the strings.

, Figure l is a diagrammatic view of the general arrangement of the strings of a piano and of the devices according to the invention.

Figure 3 illustrates a method of fixing a pressing member so as to permit horizontal movements thereof.

Figure 4 illustrates a method of fixing a pressing member permitting horizontal and circular movement thereof.

Figure 5 illustrates a method of fixing the pressing member similar to that of Figure 3 but permitting also of adjusting the height of the pressing member.

Figure 6 illustrates a method of fixing the pressing member similar to that in Figure 4 in the case where the supporting rod is a flexible blade, with a device permitting of adjusting the height of the pressing member.

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate a method of fixing an actuating the pressing members coming into contact with the strings, when the strings are situated underneath or near the cross bars which serve to increase the rigidity of the frame.

Figures 9, l0 and 11 illustrate a device permitting of producing the effect of tight strings in stringed and hammer instruments,

similar to the effects of a harpsicord, cymbal, mandoline, guitar, etc.

In these figures the same elements are indicated by the same reference characters.

The object of the devices disclosed in the present application is to permit of modifying the sounds produced by the strings during the whole of a period of playing by the player. These results are obtained by means of pressing members which are applied at determined points of each string.

Inthe device illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the supporting members 1 and 1, to which are secured the rigid members 2 which are to be pressed as desiredagainst the strings, are connected to the cross bars 3, which serve to ensure the rigidity of the frame A supporting the strings 5, by means of hinges.

' The attachment of the supporting member 1 to. the cross bars 3 is effected by means of arms 6, pivoting in thehinge 7 secured to members 8, in such a manner as topermitof raising the member 1 and thus disengaging it neatly from the strings 5.

As regards the lowering of the member 1, this-is eifected by a metal member '11 in which is provided a groove which is filled with lead- 12 or other heavy material along its whole length. Under the action 'of the weight of the member 1, the rigid members 2 'may be pressed energetically. against the strings 5 without the intermediary of any.

mechanism.

Raising of support member 1'is effected by wedges 9,hav1ng one face pressing against member 1, and the other against a bar 3.

,The' wedges are actuated by triangles 10, operated by hand or any other desired means.

Figure 3' shows a device for securing one of the rigid members 2, to be pressed against the strings 5, to the supporting member 1.

This method :of securing permits of hori zontal movement of the rigid member 2, called the pressing member, prov ded at lts end with felt 2, in such a manner as to adjust the position of the said pressing member exactly across the strings which are to be pressed.

Forthis purpose the pressing member 2 is mounted at the end of a curved rod 13 which can slide in holes 1 1 provided in the supportingmember 11. Therod 13 and consequently the pressing member 2 are secured in their definite position by a set screw 15. A modification of this device is shown in Figure 41-, wherein, in addition to the horizontal movement of the rod 13 supportng the pressing member 2, a circular movement of the latter around the axis of the pivot 16 is also provided forthispivot also serving as the set screw for holding the rod 13.

Forthis purpose the rod13 slides in an opening 14 provided in an auxiliary housing 17 filled with a heavy material 12, capable of turning by means of a boss 18 around the set screw 16 which also serves to hold the rod 13 in position. In this manner the pressing number 2 may be set accurately opposite the string and may strike against the latter at the desired pointi Another modification is illustrated in Figure 5. The pressing member secured to the end of the curved rod 13 may be moved relatively to it ssupport 11 and may also be moved slightly towards the string under the yielding action of the rod under the action of the screw 34 supported by thesupport 11.

This adjustment in height is effected independently of the adjustment by means of the screwed end of the rod 13.

A final modification is illustrated in F igure 6 which, in addition to the adjustments provided for in the case of Figure 4, permits the. adjustment of the height of the pressingmember 2 secured to the end of the rod 13 which, in the example illustrated, is a curved blade. For this purpose, an arm 24 is held against the support 11 by the pivot the cross bars 3, that is to say at places where the direct action-of the pressing members secured to the supporting member 1 would bediificult if not impossible. In this device the pressing members 2 are no longer placed agamst the strings on the same side 4!; of the supporting member lot the frame. A lever 19 is 'supported'by the cross bar 3 by means of the plate 20. This'lever can pivot around the rod 21 and 'isheld on this by means of a .bolt' '22. VVhen the supporting member 1, carrying the pressing members 2, is moved towards the strings 3, it bears through the 'medium of an adjustable screw 25 against the plate 23 provided at the end ofthe lever 19. I This pivots around 21 in such a manner that the other end of the lever 19, which supports the pressing members, moves towards the strings 5 until the said pressing members strike energetically against these strings 5. V Fgures 9, 10 and 11 disclose a device in which the pressing members consist of a hard material, metal, ebonite or the like,

which is placed near the string in such a 1 manner that the string will strike against this member with more or less force. The efforts produced are similar to those produced by harpsicords, cymbals, harps, etc.,

and they may be graduated by approaching or withdrawing the hard members.

In the specification of the patent a single hard member has been provided for each series of two or three strings corresponding to the same note. According to the present invention a hard member is provided for each string, each member being capable of being approached towards or withdrawn from the string independently. For this purpose the supporting member 26 (Figures 9 and 10) is of V-shape in which is secured a support 27 serving to support the metal rods 28 of which the end 29', which may come into contact with the string, is of hemispherical (Figs. 9 and 10) or elongated shape (Fig. 11). These metal rods 28 are provided with a threaded portion 29 permitting of adjustment of their distance relatively to the strings with which they may come into con tact. The supporting member 26 may be moved towards the strings or be disengaged by means of wedges 30 which are actedupon by means of rods 31 (Fig. 1).

Claims:

1. A device for modifying the tone of stringed instruments, comprising, a string supporting frame including cross bars, arms pivoted to the cross bars, a supporting mem ber rigidly mounted on the arms, and pressing members carried by said supporting member.

2. A device for modifying the tone of stringed instruments, comprising, a string supporting frame including cross bars, arms ivoted to the bars, a supporting member rigidly mounted on the arms, pressing members on the supporting member, weights on the supporting member for pressing the pressing members against the strings, and wedges for actuating said supporting members with reference to the strings.

3. A device for modifying the tone of stringed instruments, comprising, a string supporting frame including cross bars, arms pivoted to the bars, a supporting member mounted on the arms, angular rods slidably mounted in said supporting member, pressing members carried by the angular rods, and means for adjusting said members horizontally with reference to the strings.

4. A device for modifying the tone of stringed instruments, comprising, a string supporting frame including cross bars, arms pivoted to the bars, a supporting member mounted on the arms, pivoted members carried by the supporting member, angular rods slidably mounted in the pivoted members, pressing members carried by the rods, said members being supported for horizontal and circular adjustment with reference to the strings.

5. A device for modifying the tone of stringed instruments, comprising, a string supporting frame including cross bars, arms pivoted to the bars, a supporting member mounted on the arms, a pivoted member carried by the supporting member, a bent rod slidably mounted in the pivoted member, a pressing member carried by the rod, said member being supported for horizontal and circular adjustment with reference to the strings, an additional arm secured to the supporting member, and a screw passed through said additional arm and bearing on said rod, whereby the pressure of the pressing member on the string can be regulated.

6. A device for modifying the tone of stringed instruments, comprising, a string supporting frame including cross bars, arms pivoted to the bars, a supporting member rigidly mounted on the arms, pressing members carried by said supporting member, a lever carrying a pressing member and pivoting around a rod integral with one of the cross bars and under control of said supporting member, for pressing the pressing members carried by said lever against strings relatively near one of the said cross bars of the frame.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGES CLOETENS.

WVitnesses:

LEONARD LERA, MARIE DEFRENNE. 

